TheJakartaPost

Please Update your browser

Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.

Jakarta Post

Indonesia sorry for online racism after Guinea loss ends Olympic dream

If Indonesia had won, they would have played soccer at an Olympics for the first time in nearly seven decades, since the Soviet Union eliminated them from the 1956 Games in Melbourne.

AFP
Jakarta
Sat, May 11, 2024

Share This Article

Change Size

Indonesia sorry for online racism after Guinea loss ends Olympic dream Indonesian soccer fans watch in a large screen the live broadcast of the pre-Olympic play-off match between Indonesia and Guinea for final spot in the men’s Olympic soccer tournament at Paris 2024, outside the Gelora Bung Karno stadium in Jakarta on May 9, 2024. (AFP/Yasuyoshi Chiba)

I

ndonesia's soccer association apologized Friday after fans directed racist comments at Guinea's players online following a 1-0 playoff defeat that ended the Southeast Asian nation's hopes of Olympic qualification.

Guinea's Under-23 men's team beat their Indonesian counterparts at France's Clairefontaine on Thursday after a penalty scored by Ilaix Moriba, who plays for Getafe in Spain on loan from Germany’s Red Bull Leipzig.

If Indonesia had won, they would have played soccer at an Olympics for the first time in nearly seven decades, since the Soviet Union eliminated them from the 1956 Games in Melbourne.

But after Guinea secured the final Olympic spot, some Indonesian fans bombarded the African nation's social media accounts as well as those of its top players.

"The players go home with their heads held high and accepted defeat. So, we hope the supporters will do the same," said soccer association executive committee member Arya Mahendra Sinulingga in a statement.

He said the Red and Whites regretted the racist comments online by Indonesian fans and said those behind them were not true supporters.

"Don't tarnish the Indonesia U-23 national team's struggle with racist remarks towards opposing players," he said.

"The dreams of these young people are still long. Please don't let it be harmed by racist actions which are very detrimental and embarrassing. We are focused on supporting the national team going forward."

Guinea will now play in Group A alongside host nation France, USA and New Zealand.

It will be their first appearance in the Olympic soccer tournament for 56 years, according to global soccer body FIFA.

Your Opinion Matters

Share your experiences, suggestions, and any issues you've encountered on The Jakarta Post. We're here to listen.

Enter at least 30 characters
0 / 30

Thank You

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. We appreciate your feedback.